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Congratulations—you live in New York City! Now for the depressing news. According to a recent study by StreetEasy that accumulated all rental listings on its site in 2014, the cost of living in this amazing city is a rent that takes up twice as much of your income as the government says you should be paying. No, you are not having a nightmare: The real-life cost of NYC rent is nearly 60 percent of income (58.4, to be exact), with an expected median cost of $2,700 per apartment by the end of 2015.
A rent-to-income ratio of about 30 percent is considered an affordable cost standard in the United States, so that people can, you know, have money left over to buy food and other necessities. Sure, it's becoming more and more difficult for any American to remain within this standard these days. According to a 2013 comprehensive Harvard study, half of all renters across the United States already spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. However, rent in NYC based on this new study StreetEasy proves to be higher than most, with an estimated 12 million households currently paying over 50 percent of their income. It's not just the rising cost of rent that is super unsettling for New Yorkers; the rapid growth of NYC residents is moving quicker than the amount of units available, and it's not like income is rising at the same pace. The most recent 2013 census data showed that New York rent prices grew at almost twice the rate of NYC residents' income since 2000.
Here's th

April's essential NYC film event just got a lot filmier: Today, the Tribeca Film Festival announced the 24 titles that will compete for the Best World Narrative and Best Documentary prizes at this year's 14th edition of the annual downtown showcase, running April 15–26. Also revealed today were an additional 27 films, categorized in the noncompetitive Viewpoints selection. The news builds on last month's announcement of opening-night film Live from New York!, a much-anticipated four-decade history of Saturday Night Live directed by documentarian Bao Nguyen. There are still another 46 titles yet to be named this week for a grand total of 97 features—and (good news, this) 30 of them are made by women, a Tribeca high.
Sight unseen, several titles jump out at us as promising: Of the eight word premieres in World Narrative, Meadowland sounds like a heartbreaker, about two parents (Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson) struggling in the wake of a missing child. Our postapocalyptic interest is piqued by The Survivalist, set on a farm strained to its production limits in a world without supermarkets. Men Go to Battle sounds like a personal approach to the Civil War; it's about Kentucky brothers who clash in the winter of 1861. And even though he's burned us before, how could we not be intrigued by James Franco starring in an adaptation of Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries?
Tribeca has always done well by documentaries, and this year sounds like no exception. Subjects include The New Y

Björk dressed as a cactus.That was the highlight of today's preview of the Icelandic alt-diva's MoMA retrospective/extravaganza. The occasion was the introduction of her latest video, "Black Lake," specially commissioned by the Modern for the exhibition.
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Ink-stained wretches of the media were let in and kept waiting in the stifling dark for half an hour, until curator Klaus Biesenbach arrived, followed by the star in a saguaro outfit that completely obscured her body and face. She thanked everyone involved in mounting the show, then left. Her remarks lasted about two minutes.The video itself is vintage Björk, though in downbeat mode, with the singer crawling around Iceland's volcanic landscape to the sound of mournful cellos (see embedded trailer). Besides a sort of weird tesla-coil sculpture/audio installation, making pounding, percussive sounds with electrical sparks, the rest of the show consists of props, costumes and sheet music divided among a twisting warren of separate spaces or bays, each representing a particular video/song from her career.
The presentation is a marvel of high-tech. After entering through a corridor lined with flatscreens playing all of her videos, you're given headphones and a sort of iPod device activated by a motion sensor. As you move through the rooms to gaze at, say, the robots from 1999's "All Is Full of Love” the actual song is tripped by the handheld device and starts to play. Songs change as you move from room to room. It works no mat

Stop everything! We’ve been patiently waiting for this Parisian perfumer’s coveted and widely popular winter sale. And finally, our prayers whines have been answered.
Beginning tomorrow at 9:30am shop Diptyque's discounted scents (i.e. candles, perfumes, room sprays and lotions) at C21’s new Edition sample sale space. We caught a whiff—okay a glimpse—at some of the prices from last year’s sale. Most items were marked up to 50 percent off, so expect 50ml fragrances for $44 (usually $90), standard candles for $35 (originally $60) or mini for $15, plus travel sets for only $23 (generally $60).
Since last year’s haul of goods sold out well before the sale’s end date, we decided to provide you with some tips on how to navigate one of the most in-demand events of the year. Okay—maybe we’re over exaggerating a little. But if you’ve ever smelled the sensual floral aroma produced by the Gardénia candle, then you understand the hype. And if you can't get enough of NYC's most exciting sample sales and want more, we've got you covered.
1. Plan on being late to work
No, this is not a drill. A ridiculously long line will form well before 9:30am, so plan and dress accordingly (P.S. the weather man is calling for rain). We advise that fans of the brand show up by 7am­—or 6am for the diehards. Although some sale hosts let people in early, there is no guarantee.
2. Call a line sitter
We wait on the line for just about everything (pastries, iPhones, concert tickets)—so it’s no surprise

Beginning at 7am, IHOP locations across the country have opened their doors to hordes of breakfast lovers looking for complimentary pancakes. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of its free flapjack day, the breakfast spot will be slinging short stacks on the house all day until 10pm. You can either step in what will no doubt be a block-long line at one of IHOP's New York outposts, or avoid the crazy crowd and find those golden brunch wonders on the cheap nearby:
IHOP East Village (14th St near Second Ave)
The Coffee Shop: Get a full stack of cakes with Vermont maple syrup for $9.95 and add bacon, sausage, ham or two eggs for $3 extra. 29 Union Square West at 16th St (212-243-7969, thecoffeeshopnyc.com)
IHOP Harlem (125th St near Lexington Ave)
Perkin's Restaurant: Snag a stack of five traditional buttermilk flapjacks ($6.79) or a blueberry-banana multigrain pancake platter complete with scrambled eggs and apple-chicken sausages for $7.99. 200 E 125 St at Third Ave (212-860-4500, perkinsrestaurants.com)
IHOP Jackson Heights, Queens (Northern Blvd near 73rd St)
Jax Inn Diner: Buckwheat or buttermilk pancakes will run you $5.95, and a scoop of fresh blueberries, bananas or strawberries is only a couple bucks more. 71-12 Northern Blvd between 71st and 72nd Sts (718-476-1240, jaxinndiner.com)
IHOP Bushwick, Brooklyn (Flushing Ave near Broadway)
JK & Sons: Buttermilk and silver-dollar pancakes will only set you back $5.50, so you can easily pair either with an egg for a b

Film scores can sometimes register as so much sonic wallpaper, a barely noticeable backdrop to what's happening onscreen. But the score that renowned jazz drummer Antonio Sanchez contributed to Alejandro González Iñárritu's Best Picture–winning Birdman—a gorgeously realized series of improvised solo performances—is a major exception: As our review pointed out, those beats are absolutely integral to the film's kinetic, at times frenetic pacing. In one of several high-profile 2015 Oscars flaps, Sanchez's contribution was deemed ineligible for a Best Original Score nomination, since the film also featured a conventional classical score. ([Cough] Bullshit. [Cough]) The good news is that invaluable local classical-and-beyond concert presenter Wordless Music is giving the drummer his due, via a Birdman screening and live Sanchez solo performance, taking place Saturday, April 4, at the UWS's Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture.
Tickets for the event—a New York premiere—go on sale here at 10am on Friday, March 6. As Wordless puts it, perhaps over-modestly, tickets "will not last very long, we suspect." A screening of the Best Picture winner, featuring a live performance of 2014's flat-out coolest score? Uh, yeah—we'd tend to agree.

It’s too damn cold outside these days. And much like New York’s icy frozen rivers, we’re all feeling the wrath of frostbite. By now, you’ve probably purchased a goose-feather down parka from the best winter coat shops in Gotham—but those outer layers aren't cheap. And if all those scary price tags are keeping you from splurging on cold-weather essentials, fret not. If you’re bummed that you still need to wear 10 pounds of outerwear in the month when spring should begin, cheer up. You can score discounted, toasty threads at these winter sales.
Uniqlo: Until Sunday March 8
This Japanese clothing chain keeps you warm all winter long with its affordable cashmere sweaters and coats, but right now price tags on the brand’s winter duds are whittled down to almost nothing. Women should snag thin down hooded coats ($40, once $90) and cashmere blend collar coats ($130, now $40) while men scoop up down reversible vests ($70, usually $150) and crew neck sweaters for only $15 (instead of $40).
North Fork: Until Sunday March 8
Combat the chills thanks to the warm, luxe threads for sale at this local brand’s pop-up. Although the prices tend to run pretty steep, now’s your chance to cop purchases like cashmere baseball caps ($39, originally $56), silk and cashmere blend scarves ($39-$49, usually $69-$79) and wool and brushed silk hoodies ($360-$425, now $249-$299).
Patrik Ervell: Friday March 6­ through Sunday March 8
Save up to 90 percent off perfect-for-winter threads at this dudes-o

RECOMMENDED: See more Undateables
The date: Dinner and Drinks at Mesa Coyoacán (372 Graham Ave, 718-782-8171)
First impressionRyan: “She was cute. I was a little nervous—I think she was, too—but we started hitting it off right there. When we started talking, we clicked. I felt very comfortable at that point.” Yasmin: “He was handsome and nice. He seemed nervous like I was, but laid-back. In online dating you know a little about someone—this was a true blind date. We chitchatted a lot.”
ChemistryRyan: “Things felt friendly with her. I think we were pretty natural. It just felt like I was talking to a cool person, though I was worried she was more educated than me.”Yasmin: “He was really interesting and funny. We couldn’t decide what to order, so he closed his eyes and ran his hand down the menu. We ordered what he landed on.”
AfterwardRyan: “The night was almost over and I was like, ‘Why not try another place?’ We had one more drink, but she couldn’t stay out late because she had to work.” Yasmin: “We got a drink at a bar up the block. We took the train together and were like, Maybe we should exchange numbers. He texted me when he got home.”
Awkward MomentRyan: “In my brain, I made the moment of [saying goodbye] more than it should have been. Like, do I shake her hand? I patted her on the shoulder. That was my awkward goodbye.”Yasmin: “It was a Mexican restaurant, so he was asking me about the menu. At one point he was like, ‘What’s sopa?’ And I was like, ‘Soup!’ He was

The American Kennel Club has unleashed (oh, yes) its annual list of the most popular dogs each New York City neighborhood. And the results aren’t exactly shocking. The winner across the board for Gotham is none other than the adorable French Bulldog. And damn right, we do love our Frenchies!
Although the breed wasn’t the most popular in every ‘hood, (Astoria’s favorite pooch is the Bulldog and Upper East Siders voted for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) Park Slope, Murray Hill, East Village, FiDi and Tribeca can’t get enough of those smush-faced canines—with good reason.
Due to the importance of this study (no, really), we turned to Instagram in search of the most glorious French Bulldogs in NYC (wearing adorable outfits purchased at NYC's best pet stores, no less). Puppyfind.com suggests owners can expect to pay anywhere between $2,000­­–$4,000 for this particular specimen, so scrolling through pictures of Gotham's favorite furry-friend might be all you can afford to do right now. Note: You can always try your luck at pet adoption services if these aww-inducing photos make you wish you had your very own fuzzy partner in crime.
All hail the Frenchie!
A photo posted by Kush (@lil_kush_ny) on Mar 2, 2015 at 7:45am PST
A photo posted by Benny The Frenchie in NYC (@bennythefrenchienyc) on Mar 1, 2015 at 10:11am PST
A photo posted by Dexter (@praachii) on Feb 28, 2015 at 1:21pm PST
A photo posted by A Frenchie in Brooklyn

This Saturday, St. Patrick's Day comes early to the green streets of Hoboken. Get yourself to Jersey to celebrate this above-freezing week with a pint or two.
Dozens of Hoboken bars will open their doors for an ultimate pub crawl (11am–11pm). Purchase an "All Access Pass" in the form of a wristband for $5 at a starter bar of your choice (or online), and get $5 off admission price to any of the participating bars that will indeed be packed to the brim with drunken leprechauns. And everyone with a pass will get free admission at Arthur's Tavern! Keep in mind that bars can fill up fast, and stay at occupancy all day, so your wristband doesn't guarantee you entrance anywhere.
Participating All Access Pass bars include: Teak on the Hudson, Mills Tavern, Biggies, Hoboken Bar & Grill, Tally Ho, Texas Arizona, Reign, Cadillac Cantina, Arthur's Tavern, The Shannon, Room 84, Scotland Yard, Green Rock, Northern Soul, 1Republik, Havana Cafe, Hotel Victor, The Brass Rail, Black Bear Bar, Trinity Bar, Mikie Squared Bar, and Village Pourhouse.
Plus, check out live music at Willie McBride's (11am and on), Finnegan's (9:30pm–1am) and Elysian Cafe, where Will O'Connor will be playing from 10:30pm–1am.
And if you want to plan out your route to the minute (good luck with that) here's a list of all Hoboken bars. Here's to hoping you'll make it from the top o' the morning, to the end of the evening.